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Corporate Tax Planning in Malaysia

Corporate Tax Planning in Malaysia Tax planning is the process of looking at the available tax options in order to determine how the Company can conduct the business transactions so that taxes are eliminated or reduced.

Below are some pointers which companies may note for tax considerations, depending on its tax position.

General Tax Planning

Running your business through a company rather than sole proprietorship. Being a SME company, the first RM600,000 chargeable income will be tax at 17% and the excess will be tax at 24%. The tax liability is lower if your personal tax bracket is high. Besides, a SME is not required to provide a tax estimate or make installment payments for the first 2 years of assessment and just needs to pay the tax upon the filing of the tax return. Therefore, it will help in improving the cash flow.
Estimate your tax payable amount accurately to avoid the penalty on underestimation of tax payable under the Income Tax Act. The Company can submit the CP 204A to revise the estimate of tax payable in the sixth or/and ninth month of the basis period.
Apply for specific industry tax incentive such as MSC Status.
Keep your documents for 7 years. Supporting documentation for transactions are important to substantiate a tax deduction claimed. Examples include invoices, receipts, contract, agreement etc. If taxpayer is unable to provide sufficient documentation to support the expenses claimed as tax deductible, the IRB is likely to disallow the deduction, which will result in additional tax payable and huge penalties imposed. As such, it is important to keep all the relevant supporting documents and ensure they are readily available in the event of tax audit.
Start early to optimise tax deductions. Generally, pre-commencement expenses are not allowable as a deduction against gross income as they are not wholly and exclusively incurred in the production of income.
To consider the implication of withholding tax if there are payments to be made to non-resident. This may increase the running cost to the Company.

For companies in a loss making/ non-tax paying position

Business losses can be set off against income from all sources in the current year. Any unutilised losses can be carried forward indefinitely to be utilised against income from any business source (up to 10 years). If the company is dormant, the carry forward of losses is only allowed if the shareholder continuity test is met.
Unabsorbed capital allowances can be carried forward indefinitely to be utilised against income from the same business source. If the company is dormant, the carry forward of capital allowances is only allowed if the shareholder continuity test is met.
Group relief is a scheme which enables Malaysian related companies to deduct 70% of current year adjusted business losses of the surrendering company from the defined aggregate income of another company (subject to conditions).

For companies in a tax-paying position

Capital allowances may be utilised to reduce the chargeable income.
The declaration of remunerations may be considered if the arrangement offers potential tax savings. This may be performed through tax planning which involves the comparison of effective tax rates.
Know what are tax allowable and non-allowable expenses for tax deduction claims.
Companies may also consider debt financing over equity financing as interest expenses are tax deductible provided the monies borrowed are used for business purpose.
Review may be conducted on the outstanding debts to write off long-overdue debts which are irrecoverable.
Review may be conducted on the obsolete stock to write off.
Annual bonus payments to the employees (the actual bonus amounts must be ascertained and made known to the employees thereby ‘incurring’ the bonus expense, notwithstanding that the payment is made after year-end).
Companies may re-assess the accounts to identify any omitted accrual expenses.
Deferring taxable income to the next year of assessment. Delaying can sometimes result in it being charged at a lower corporate tax rate, in cases where there is reduction of corporate tax rate. It will result in some tax savings and cash flow.
Bringing forward tax deductible expenses would also reduce the tax payable.
Motor vehicle – claiming of capital allowance for company vehicles, and reimbursement of motor vehicle expenses used for business purposes (the motor vehicle benefits may need to be disclosed in EA form). Taxpayer is advised to maintain record for business and private use.
Subsidised interest for housing, education or car loan received by an employee is fully exempted from tax if the total amount of loan taken does not exceed RM300,000.
Employee receiving gratuity on retirement would be exempted from tax if conditions are met.

All business decisions today have tax implications and it is important for a company to manage its income tax requirements efficiently. At 3E Accounting Malaysia, we work closely with you to identify tax strategies that work best within your organisation and manage your tax compliance.